Plastics have been woven into the structure of our daily lives, providing unparalleled convenience and shaping modernity with its versatility. However, as the ruthless accumulation of plastic waste presents a long shadow on the global ecosystem, the environmental cost of their lasting existence is high. This shadow extends to microplastics, tiny particles, poses an invisible threat to biodiversity and human health. With the attention of microplastic pollution, important freshwater systems in Africa, such as the iconic Nile, have not been affected by people. Through the lens of Nile tilapia, a key species in the local ecology and economy, a new study brings a universal challenge to microplastics that exist in the center of Africa, marking a critical step in solving the global environmental dilemma.
In a groundbreaking study published in Heliyon, scientist Dr. Dalia Saad and her students, Hadeel Alamin of Witwatersrand University, were on the Nile River Nile (Nile) in Khartoum, Sultan. This study highlights the microscope in one of Africa’s most important waterways. Levels of plastic particles.
Ms Alamin stressed: “Thirty Nile tilapia was used to biomonitors’ presence in the Khartoum Nile River. Microplastics were found in all the Nile Nile culture samples examined. The tiny The dominance of MP and fibers, as well as signs of debris, suggest that they are mainly fragments of larger plastics. Activities such as agriculture, recreation and industry are potential sources of MP pollution.”
The method adopted by Alamin and Dr. Saad was carefully designed to ensure accurate detection and analysis of microplastics from Nilorafila. Initially, the fish are obtained from the local market and then shipped to a lab, where they are frozen until dissected. Then carefully delineate the digestive tract of the fish and go through the process of extracting microplastic particles.
Once the microplastics are extracted, they are thoroughly examined under a microscope, allowing researchers to observe, measure and photograph all suspicious particles. Physical characteristics such as size, shape and color are carefully recorded. To determine the chemical composition of microplastics, a specialized technique was used to identify the types of polymers present in the sample.
Dr. Saad elaborated on the findings, noting: “In this study, microplastics were found in all Nile tilapia specimens. The high prevalence of microplastics in fish may reflect the extent of plastic pollution in the Nile,” he said. It shows that the Nile aquatic organisms are at risk of ingesting microplastics and related pollutants. “In addition, in several aquatic environments around the world, the advantages of tiny microplastics are often reported in different aquatic groups. This may indicate that microplastics in the river are higher because several environmental processes often break down”.
The study also points to the source of microplastic pollution, as Dr. THAAD explains, “Khartoum faces poor waste management due to shortage of funds, insufficient waste collection/disposal facilities and lack of urban planning and environmental legislation. Therefore, , large amounts of solid waste, including plastic, end up trapped in landfills and/or dumped illegally. ”For this reason, the city’s wastewater treatment system is invalid. Three wastewater treatment plants in Khartoum, Kari, WD-DAFFIAA and SOBA are outdated and do not meet local and international standards. This means that untreated wastewater from domestic, industrial and agricultural activities is another possible source of micro pollution.
There are also countless leisure places along the Nile River in Khartoum. Nile Street is the most popular street in the capital, with water sports, restaurants, cafes, clubs, event venues and hotels, as well as tea ladies (ladies (women) who serve hot drinks from the temporary mobile café on the river bank). However, waste disposal and collection habits are very lacking, so plastic waste from these leisure activities leaks into the river. This study is not only a call for action from Sudan, but also enables global communities to address plastic pollution more actively. Since the Nile is an important resource for millions of people, these findings underline the urgency of developing effective waste management strategies and policies to mitigate this environmental threat.
Journal Reference
Dalia Saad, Hadeel Alamin, “The first evidence of the existence of microplastics in the Nile River in Khartoum River in Sudan: the use of Nile pills as a biological indicator” , Heliyon, 2024.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.E23393.
About the Author
Dalia Saad Being a trained environmental chemist, educator and researcher.
Dalia holds a Bachelor of Chemistry from the University of Sudan (2006), MSC (2011) and a PhD in Environmental Chemistry from Witwatersrand University (2013).
She is currently a fellow at the Wits School of Chemistry and a fellow at the Royal Society; and a part-time lecturer at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pretoria. Prior to joining WITS in 2021, she worked full-time and research-based (University of Khartoum in Sudan, University of Johannesburg and UNISA in South Africa, and the International Institute of Water Management in Sri Lanka).
Dalia’s research interests are to promote access to clean water, i.e. material development (polymer materials, biosorbents and nanomaterials), emerging pollutants, and resource recycling and reuse. She is also interested in the social aspects of water management and the safe reuse of recyclable water. With generous support from the Royal Society, she led a research team to investigate microplastic pollution in freshwater in Africa. Her research has attracted national and international recognition and media attention.
Dalia has completed several international trainings, received various international awards, and received numerous research and mobile grants from multiple organizations in the Development County of Women of Science (OWSD), among others. Dalia is a fellow in the African Science Leadership Program, an alumnus of the TWAS Young Affiliate and OWSD Scholarship Program. She is a member of several professional bodies, a former member of the OWSD Executive Committee-South African National Chapter and a founder of the OWSD-Sudan National Chapter.
Hadir Alamine Is a MSC student at Wits University. She obtained a foundation in chemistry from the University of Khartoum (2015), where she served as an assistant teacher.
